Princess Kiss
by J Luc Pitard
Summary: Love doesn't go smoothly for the ones who feel they don't deserve it. RenxKyoko.
1. First Kisses

**Princess Kiss**

by J Luc Pitard

A Skip Beat! Manga fan fic.

(just to get back into writing again)

Disclaimer: Skip Beat! belongs to Nakamura Yoshiki and not myself. Please buy the manga, available from Viz and watch the upcoming anime, to be released in Japan/Taiwan in October 2008.

Spoiler Disclaimer: I've read the manga scans online and incorporated details through chapter 128.

* * *

Her mouth tingled where his perfect lips had ghosted gently over it. Kyoko felt rather than heard his accompanying sigh. Her eyes wide, she had watched him kiss her, staring directly into his beautiful milk chocolate colored eyes. She was grateful she wasn't facing the dark, lustful eyes of the 'Emperor of the Night' nor had her stiff reaction called up the hard, angry eyes of the 'Demon Lord.' The calm gaze in front of her was the regular, pleasant mask of the actor Ren Tsuruga.

"You alright?" he asked in a half whisper.

Kyoko didn't trust her voice as the demons around her screeched that "No, she is not alright!", "You idiot!" and "What does he think he's doing!" Her heart was pounding a mile a minute and the protective armor around it seemed to be weakening under the strain of beating so hard. She wanted to pull away. One of his large hands splayed along her back just behind the cage her heart was slamming against. He had to be able to feel that, feel how nervous she was. His other arm held her around her slim waist.

They were standing in his kitchen, only feet away from where he'd held her once before, clutched at her, teased her with sultry talk and sweet gestures as they'd role played during the filming of 'Dark Moon.' That was many months ago now and she still hadn't forgotten how scary it had been. But this time, she reminded herself, this time she'd asked to be here, asked him to do this to her, for her. She had to remember that. She nodded slowly in answer to his question.

This was a favor, a lesson, a learning experience and he was teaching her, as her mentor and... Oh my God, he was leaning down close again! She could smell his skin- tea and cologne and something enticingly manly. Skin rubbed lightly, cheek against cheek as he slowly made his way along her face. How can a nose be sexy? His was as it nuzzled hers while he tilted his head. His arm tightened slightly across her back as her right leg shifted to take a step away. He took the step with her, keeping her body close to his. Kyoko braced herself for his second attack.

She squeezed her eyes shut at the last second, feeling his warm breath against her mouth, then gentle movement and light pressure. His lips formed a smile before pulling away again. Now it was her turn to sigh at the loss of contact. She opened her eyes, looking up at his face, just catching as it shifted from a sad smile to a more guarded look.

"Is that enough?" The deep voice held concern for her. His hand left her waist to move hair off her forehead, then continued down her cheek. She resisted the temptation to lean into it. Instead she looked down and moved slightly away from him. She needed space, even a few inches of space, to regain her thoughts.

"Um..." Kyoko knew she was lucky to have such a mentor. Hadn't he always guided her as an actor? Didn't he help prune her harshly to shape her growth? Never holding back his criticisms, but also cheering her on, coaching her? And now she'd come to him with this troublesome request!

She knew she was selfish really. He was sure to have work he could be doing instead of this. His manager had given her tomorrow's schedule and it was packed with interviews, shoots and the first of his martial arts classes for an action series he was in. Her hands, which had dangled uselessly since he moved to her, now crossed in front of her. Gripping her upper arms she tried to marshal her strength. The hand on her back clenched into a fist. Kyoko hugged herself tighter as he pulled her to him, resting his chin lightly on her head while she thought of how to face him.

Today's shoot had been a lesson in humiliation, however unintentionally. It was her own fault, but she'd ended up pulling Tsuruga and others into it anyway. A month earlier she'd been cast in a series of commercials for a line of cosmetics called 'Princess Kiss.' It was all her dreams rolled into one and she'd been happy that the series director was Asami. She couldn't imagine anyone else who would've cast her as a lively princess, but that woman had already backed her as an angel in Shotaro Fuwa's promotional video. That showed a vivid imagination! This time Asami cast her against a handsome young idol "prince" who was polite enough, but not overly gifted with acting ability. That was fine since the commercials centered on her and she'd enjoyed each day of filming up to the last which she'd been secretly dreading. In the end of each commercial, the princess somehow manages to miss the hapless prince's attempts to kiss her, but in the last one he finally succeeds.

On screen.

A kiss.

Him, a man she barely knew.

With her.

Romantically.

Kyoko kept pushing off her worry until Tsuruga directly confronted her over it a few days ago. Apparently his concern for her led to a call to the president of LME Pop Productions and a subsequent one from Lory Takarada directly to Asami. When Kyoko arrived for the final day- today- her costar sheepishly apologized and the director pulled her aside to say they'd changed the last kiss to a shot where she turned to give the camera a large smile just as the prince moved in, resulting in his kiss landing on her cheek. Everyone on set laughed when they filmed it the first time and although it took several tries to capture it perfectly, Asami and the producers said they were happier with the change.

Kyoko however, was furious at herself! Why had her personal hang up resulted in a script change? To have bothered her mentor and everyone else with something she knew she would have to deal with someday ? Unacceptable.

She expected Tsuruga to be annoyed with her when he picked her up after filming, but he made no mention of it. His remarkably cheerful behavior throughout dinner had given her the courage to make this demand of him.

"Kiss me," she'd asked after they finished the dishes.

It had been a modest celebration of the end of her gig and the beginning of the publicity surrounding his new drama role. She'd cooked up a small feast for him in his apartment. It always set his manager, Yashiro's mind at ease to know that Ren was eating home cooked meals.

He'd looked at her quietly for what felt like hours, but must've only been a few minutes before nodding. "You'll encounter this more as you get more roles," he'd said in an even voice. When she asked him if he'd had to kiss for work, he'd looked almost hurt that she'd had to ask. "Of course," he said quietly.

"Can you really kiss someone you don't love?" she'd asked although she knew the answer as well as he did.

"As an actor I can," he said, each word sounding deliberately chosen. He stood with his arms folded across his chest, leaning against the sink as she moved away from him.

She couldn't question him further; she only knew about his love for a high school girl through 'Bo' her chicken costumed persona on 'Totally Wild Rock.' Ren had never told her directly. But even with that secret love, hadn't he kissed Itsumi in 'Dark Moon?' Kyoko hadn't been there that day, but that scene had drawn cat calls and wolf whistles from the other actors when they screened it at the wrap party. Kyoko did sneak a look at the actress seated on the couch next to her and had seen a dreamy look cross Itsumi's face before she shrugged. "It's just a job, Kyoko," she'd said patting her on the knee. "You'll probably be doing that, too."

In Tsuruga's kitchen, Kyoko turned her back to him. Itsumi's words echoing in her mind as her face flushed red.

"Then, would you? Help me, I mean?"

She bit her bottom lip, worrying it while she tried to decide where and how to stand. Maybe they should go to the living room where they could sit down? Her face turned from embarrassed to determined and then to shocked when he suddenly hugged her from behind, his long arms crossing her chest and enveloping her waist. Her heart nearly leaped out her throat, but his strong hold on her kept her from running out the door.

"Relax," he'd whispered directly into the shell of her ear. Kyoko had shuddered at a fleeting memory of the Beagle stalker kissing her neck and whispering in her ear once upon a time, but she took a deep breath and tried to relax into his arms. A few minutes of comforting silence later, he'd slowly turned her to face him and took her first kiss.

Now here she was after her second kiss, being held against his chest as he repeated himself, saying into her hair, "Relax, Kyoko." It wasn't the time for it, but her mind registered joy that he'd called her by name, with that gentle tone he'd used only once, in a fevered state. She felt as if there was a tiny window in her heart and little angels were trying to pull it open, but her demons were fighting like... well, demons to keep it shut. She swayed as her knees buckled and he moved his hands to support her shoulders. "It's alright." He tried to catch her gaze, but she stared at the floor. His hands rubbed lightly at her upper arms. "Kyoko?"

That seemed to draw her out of the internal battle long enough to look up at him. "I'm sorry," she said. The pained honesty in her look was met with shock from his. She easily pulled away from him.

"Sorry?" he murmured at his empty hands before collecting himself and following her out into the hallway. She was gathering her belongings quietly and quickly. His look and voice hardened. "Kyoko."

She tilted up while in the awkward position of sliding on one of her "rich girl" shoes. "Mr. Tsuruga?" If she could play this off, if she could stop her emotions from spilling out, she'd be fine. There was no way she could risk falling in love, not with him! Her lips had tingled, her skin still burned with his touch, but she knew she shouldn't, couldn't and wouldn't read too much into this. It was just a kiss, he could kiss anyone really. He'd just told her and demonstrated that. Who was she to confuse that attention for real affection?

He stood with his hands clenched and gave her a smooth smile. Anger radiated from him, basking her tired demons in its darkness. "I'll take you home then, Ms. Mogami."

Kyoko flinched, but nodded and smiled back at him. She could cry later, she reasoned, once she was alone. For now she'd have to use her acting abilities to get through this car ride.

.O..o..O.

Part one of four, because love doesn't go smoothly for the ones who feel they don't deserve it.


	2. Stolen Kisses

**Princess Kiss**

by J Luc Pitard

A Skip Beat! Manga fan fic.

(just to get back into writing again)

Disclaimer: Skip Beat! belongs to Nakamura Yoshiki and not myself. Please buy the manga, available from Viz and watch the upcoming anime, to be released in Japan/Taiwan in October 2008.

* * *

Yukihito Yashiro took pride in his work. He hummed happily to himself as he organized paperwork that had come in to his office the day before. Why did he even bother with a desk anyway? He shrugged. It was really a receptacle for job offers and interview requests. Most of his work was handled on the run and at gigs with the person he managed. It was hard work, but he didn't begrudge it. He'd wanted to be a model himself once, but found he wasn't suited. Hanging around with gorgeous people was fine, but the feeling of being out in front of the public, being constantly judged... it made him uneasy. He'd been scouted in high school and by the time he finished college, couldn't imagine life outside of the entertainment industry. Right away he applied and was hired as an assistant at LME Pop Productions then worked his way up.

Once Ren Tsuruga came into his life, he had the feeling he'd never want to do anything else. There were various odd rumors surrounding Ren back then. There was one where his beauty supposedly got him stardom without any effort. Yashiro hadn't met him when the teenage Ren first debuted, but pretty soon afterwards. No one worked harder than that boy.

Ren went through several managers at first and not because he was difficult to work with. If anything, it was because he was such a gentleman, willing to do everything himself, that earlier managers had made the mistake of letting him. The problem was that soon Ren found himself spending more time arranging work with less time available for the jobs themselves. Each manager found himself let go with that friendly smile and a cold handshake. When Lory asked Yashiro to manage Ren, it was kismet. He'd never met a man with such a similar work ethic! Over the years, he liked to think they'd become some sort of friends as well as coworkers. In his own heart, he saw Ren as a little brother and wanted what was best for him, personally as well as professionally. That didn't mean he ever understood him, though.

He sorted piles of paper and entered data into his notebooks. A computer might've sped things up but he continued to do things the old fashioned way. A pair of gloves lay on the left side of his now clean desk, but they were only for cell phones. He was sure no computer could survive him. Secretaries and coworkers dropped in with information or gossip and he kept one eye on the clock so he could greet his charge when he came in. It wasn't an early start day, but there were few breaks once he did arrive. The jangling of the desk phone startled him.

"Hello? Yashiro here." Few people called him at his desk, except for-

"Yukihito is it? Lory here."

Yashiro slapped his forehead lightly before forcing a smile in his voice. "Hello, sir."

The sound of elephants trumpeting in the background overwhelmed the next few words, but Yashiro definitely heard, "... I told him it was the best for both of them but that was last week and I haven't seen any sign of it. What do you think?"

"Well," he knew Lory was 'hands off' about Ren's work, so that couldn't be it. "I haven't seen any signs either?" he offered. Then again, Ren's temper was shorter recently and they hadn't seen much of Kyoko this past week. Maybe I should invent a reason to see her?

"Damn. And after I made him promise, too!" There were more elephants and a roaring sound Yashiro was certain must've been lions.

"Promise, sir?"

"Hm? Oh, as a condition for the script change. Last week, remember? Well the first ads have started airing. I'm pretty sure he'll miss his chance once she gets more exposure. Always a risk, if you ask me. Which he never does."

Yashiro felt that the president's conversations were never for the benefit of the other person, but instead prolonged monologues with occasional chances for audience participation. He only ever understood half of them. "Chance for what, sir?"

"I'll be right there, keep him steady," Lory bellowed, obviously not intending it to have come full force through the phone. "Sorry. Got to run, I'm afraid. You're doing a great job. See if you can come up with more reasons for them to meet up." The line went dead and Yashiro was hanging it up as a dark cloud moved into the room. He was alarmed to see that the heavy atmosphere was surrounding Ren Tsuruga.

"Good Morning," he said, quickly rising to show he was ready to go. He needn't have bothered because Ren moved to the seat across from him and sat down heavily. "Are you unwell?" There was a magazine cover shoot they had to appear at in half an hour!

Ren shook his head, seeming to clear the air as he did so. "I have a favor to ask."

Yashiro breathed a sigh of relief and sat back down. Ren seemed almost back to his regular self. He suspected the twenty year old hadn't been sleeping enough lately, but he was an actor after all and was able to hide little things like fatigue most of the time. "Shoot."

After an uncomfortable pause, he said, "You remember the idol who asked about dating as a publicity stunt?"

Yashiro couldn't see Ren's eyes under the pulled down cap. He snorted. It was common enough in the entertainment industry and they got such requests from time to time, but always politely shot them down. The most recent was half a year ago from a girl who was breaking into the business as a variety act- a little acting, a little dancing and very little talent. Ren hated those kinds. "I heard she latched onto a singing idol instead," he said. "But I don't think it worked out."

Ren's long legs bumped into the desk as he slumped further in his chair. "Call her. Call any of them."

"WHAT!" The LME building in downtown Tokyo shook with the force of it.

* * *

The tremor from an earthquake shook the cup of coffee Kyoko was carrying to her manager in the LME Love Me section. Her years in the service industry kept any from spilling onto her bright pink uniform. She kept a large "customer service" type smile on her face as she put it on his desk. He didn't see it or her. "Mr. Sawara?" she asked, concerned for the man who had just pulled his phone cord out from the wall.

"Stop ringing!" he yelled at the now quiet phone. His right eyebrow twitched and he slowly seemed to take in the sudden silence and the number of worried looks his coworkers were casting his way before their own ringing phones distracted them. "Oh, sorry Kyoko." He took a calming sip from the coffee.

It was a mellow blend Kyoko prepared exactly how he liked it. Apparently his office had been handling more than the usual number of calls since her commercials started airing. She figured it was the least she could do for him.

"Those." Takenori Sawara pushed a stack of scripts towards the side of his desk. "Those are all since yesterday," he said with a sigh. "You know, I have a regular job in addition to supervising you. I don't think I can take much more of this." He sat down with a sigh.

"I'm sorry-" she tried to say, but he held up a hand.

"Don't apologize. Your getting work is good for you and for us. Read them all and let me know. I put the ones I thought you'd like on the top, but make sure you look through all of them. You know the drill." He put his head down on the desk and rested his arms over it, talking to her through his shirt sleeves, "I'll ask president Takarada about a manager for you."

"Thank you! Thank you!"

Suddenly Kyoko felt lighter than air! She spun in a circle with the load of scripts and job offers. Yes! She was making it! Soon Shotaro would have to acknowledge her and even Ren would say she was- Her heart gave a squeeze and she stopped mid pirouette as she headed out the doorway. It had been a week since... since she'd made him kiss her. Her face reddened.

Most of the LME staff who worked in Sawara's office were quite used to this strange sight and ignored her as they went about their tasks. Kyoko's moods always seemed to be just below the surface, so they knew better than to bother her, aside from a few polite requests that she step out of the way so they could pass. She did, coming to lean on the wall in the hallway. Ren Tsuruga's achingly tender kisses... she sighed, hugging her papers to her chest. No good could come from dwelling on it. She'd managed to stay out of his way and as far as she could tell, he was doing the same. No late night phone calls, no random meetings in the hallway. He's probably still mad at me, she thought, frowning. How do I apologize?

"Kyoko!" Kanae Kotonami yelled as soon as she turned the corner. "I'm sorry, but that person followed me." She struggled to catch her breath and grabbed onto Kyoko's arm, pulling on it with all her strength. "Hurry!"

Books and loose papers tumbled to the floor as Kyoko struggled to make sense of her friend's words. "My dear Moko, what're you talking about?" She pulled her arm free and bent down to get her the scripts, now hopelessly out of order. She stopped when Kanae leaned over to haul her up before pointing down the hall at the blond haired man sauntering around the corner. Shotaro Fuwa's black duster flared out dramatically behind his dark jeans and t-shirt as he turned. He looked twice as impressive from her vantage point near the floor. "Sho," Kyoko said, her voice icy.

"I knew if I followed that disgusting pink uniform I'd find you," he said.

Kyoko opened her mouth to speak, but Kanae was quicker. "Go away. Don't you have some young girl to screw or sponge off of?" she snarled.

Sho looked as shocked as Kyoko felt, but he quickly covered with a smirk. "You offering? I came to talk to Kyoko, but if you want me that much..." He tossed his head dramatically. With his hands on his hips, his whole body language spoke of confidence and she was pretty sure physical violence would result from Kanae and Sho talking any longer.

"Ms. Kyoko. Ms. Kotonami, fancy meeting you guys he--" Yashiro stopped talking once he saw the man looming in front of the two Love Me workers.

Kyoko groaned. If she didn't get Sho out of here, Ren would soon show up and who knew what would happen then! What was so important he'd walk into a viper's nest to talk about it?

"Um, Ms. Moko, Mr. Yashiro?" Could you get these scripts back to Mr. Sawara? I've messed them up a bit. Thanks!" She didn't wait, instead bolting down the hall, catching Sho in a neck block as she ran past, looking desperately for a place to talk. Her death glare and the arm dragging him kept his complaints down to a minimum of gurgling noises. They were pretty deep in the interior of the building when she found a smokers "lounge" next to some snack machines and pushed him inside the plexiglass structure.

"Talk," she commanded.

"What!" he yelled, now finally free of her arm. He massaged his neck and looked offended. "You'd do that to a singer!"

"Don't forget scratching my face while we're at it," she returned. Sure, a lot of time had passed since then, but friends never fight fair. "Are you an idiot? Coming here?" Her dark aura and companion demons stood at the ready.

"Hey, I just came to talk," he said still rubbing his neck, but his voice was calmer so she guessed no damage was done. "You could say I've come to offer my help."

From the way he puffed out his chest and leaned against the bench- not sitting of course, more like posing she noted- his offer wasn't going to be one she'd like. Kyoko scowled. "Are you offering me back ten years of my life?"

He waved a hand in front of him but otherwise seemed to ignore her words. "Your ads are cute, for a newcomer and all, but I heard all about it from Asami."

Kyoko braced herself.

"In this day and age, I didn't think there was a sixteen year old who hadn't been kissed."

"Seventeen," she hissed. "I'm seventeen and don't tell me you forgot it since we're almost the same age."

He looked slightly taken aback. "Sixteen, seventeen, what's the difference?"

Maybe he did forget, she wondered, since we weren't together this year. He probably only ever remembered my birthday when I lived with them and we celebrated it as a family. She did a quick mental calculation to see how many months older than she he was. Three months.

"...What matters is you need my help."

Kyoko had tuned out his words, only catching the tail end. "With what?" she asked, her eyes full of innocence.

Sho looked at her, first with wonder, then with something she couldn't identify. Finally he cringed. "God!" he put his hand over his face, took a few soft breaths and pulled it off with a growl. "Don't make me spell it out!"

Undaunted, Kyoko took up the challenge. "I don't know what you think you're doing coming here," she said, taking a step toward him and pointing her finger into his chest. "But you might as well head on back--" She shut up as she heard the chirp of a cell phone in the hallway outside the snack area. Both she and Sho listened.

Yashiro carefully took out his handkerchief as he pulled the cell phone from his jacket pocket. He spoke softly, "Hello, Ren?" A moment of silence. "Yes, but Kyoko and Sho Fuwa--" ... "No, I don't want you to be late, but--" ... "Yes, I understand. I'll be right down." Kyoko heard footsteps and sighed in relief. Sho's smirk returned and she wondered how he interpreted what they'd overheard. Of course Ren would want to be on time, it was part of his professionalism.

"So," the singer picked up in a sultry voice. "What I'm offering is to be your first kiss."

If she had ever had moments to doubt Shotaro's sanity in the past, they paled in comparison to this one. Surely he'd lost it! Completely, totally and utterly insane. She was speechless before his audacity. In place of words, bitter laughter bubbled up all the way from her toes and forced its way up her legs, pushed her stomach aside and crawled right up her esophagus. Under the force of it, her jaws sprung open, manic laughter spewing out and filling the small space of the smokers' isolation booth. How had he expected any other response? Was his ego truly the size of Japan? She was helpless under the weight of her laughter and then laughed even harder when he turned his head away from her, as if he could ignore away her rejection of him.

"You?" she finally squeaked. "And me?" Kyoko used her fist to wipe away tears that had formed. She was down to a manageable giggling fit now. Even her devils held each other in hate filled joy.

Sho weathered the storm with a shrug but still didn't meet her eyes. "Asami suggested it," he muttered darkly.

"You! Said! I! Was! Plain! Boring-- You never--" she sputtered as her temper returned. "Not even once-- How could you even-- Never-- Holding my-- Too good to-- Now you--" Finally even her half sentences gave out. "GAAAH!" Backing away from him, Kyoko leaned against the slightly curved wall. She looked at the row of snacks outside the large bus stop like structure and took a deep calming breath. When he looked at her again she turned and glared. "Anyway, you're too late."

Sho's eyes widened, then narrowed. "Was it that stupid guy?!"

"He is not stupid!" she shouted like a child.

Sho's face changed, angry now. "Did he teach you how to stage kiss, or did he slip a little tongue into it?" he taunted.

She tried not to flinch at the question. "Mr. Tsuruga is a gentleman," she asserted calmly.

There was a muted gasp from the hallway. Moko must be listening in, she thought. Annoying, yet it was also comforting to think that her best friend wouldn't totally abandon her if she thought Kyoko was in danger. Not that she herself felt Shotaro was any danger to her. After crushing her heart, what more pain could he inflict? She watched Sho digest this news with a bitter smile on her face. Sho Fuwa had risen in popularity since the battle with the Beagles and was now rated third most desired man in Japan after Eiji Wentz and number one, Ren Tsuruga. She knew Tsuruga's popularity was a sore subject for Sho. Once upon a time, she cared.

"Then you've still got a lot to learn," he said in a low voice before crushing his lips against hers.

Kyoko was already up against the plexiglass, but she felt her feet leave the ground with the force and suddenness of his passion. How he gotten so close? She stopped wondering as she felt something wet push against her closed mouth. There was a strange whimpering noise coming from her throat and her demons pulled with all their might to get him off of her. His hands worked their way behind her head, thwarting their efforts. She clenched her teeth tightly once his tongue parted her lips and thrashed her head as best she could, like a frightened animal.

"Kyoko!" Kanae ran into the space, unable get a good grip on Sho because of her inability to get between them. "Get off of her, you brute!"

"Ow!" he shouted once Kanae bit his ear. Kyoko marshaled all of her demons' strength and pushed him to the other side of the booth.

"What were you thinking!" she shouted at him and stood shoulder to shoulder with Kanae, her friend's arm around her waist, partly holding her up. Shotaro Fuwa looked at them both in shock, a dribble of blood trickling unnoticed down his neck. It seemed like he just wondered it as well.

"Shit," he said. "I didn't mean ..."

Whatever he didn't mean was lost as he covered his mouth and ran from the lounge. Kanae made as if to follow him, but Kyoko held her back. "Please, Moko" she said. "Just let him go."

Kanae took a deep breath and sat down on the small bench, gesturing for Kyoko to sit as well. In her usual blunt way, she said, "Now what's this I hear about you and Ren Tsuruga?"

* * *

It was a late dinner, but that wasn't why Ren Tsuruga was grumpy. The reason sat across the candlelit table from him. Mimori Nanokura, a sixteen year old actress, was gaining press and popularity, but apparently not fast enough. He should've been more selective! Yukihito had tried to warn him. He swallowed another sigh.

"Her agent got back to me right away," Yashiro had said during the lunch break. "That's not a good sign. Of the other girls who've inquired over the past few years, two are now married, but still interested, one is out of the business and three others haven't yet contacted me."

Ren was more focused on not forgetting the latest karate form he'd learned than on his agent's worries. Marital arts came easier than most new things since he had plenty of street fighting experience. His recent role was the closest to his actual personality, dangerously close. Sometimes it took all he had to keep the lines between himself, "Ren Tsuruga" and "BJ" clear. The discipline of karate helped and he used the mental exercises his instructor had passed along to hold it all together.

Yashiro wouldn't let the matter rest. "If you want a girlfriend so badly, what about Little Miss Kyoko?"

Ren glared, pushing his food away and moving his chair back from the folding table. It was fast food trash and he'd already endured Yukihito's imitation of Kyoko admonishing them both to take better care of themselves. "Do you have to keep bringing her up?" he snapped without thinking.

Yashiro was quiet for a few moments before saying, "So... the president was mentioning some promise or other this morning." He looked meaningfully at Ren, but the actor refused to react. Yashiro took Ren's untouched burger and chewed for a moment before adding, "So, what I'm thinking is that you did whatever he asked and... she rejected you?"

As if an arrow had pierced his heart, Ren folded over, his head touching his knees. The ugliness that hid beneath the handsome exterior threatened to surface and he bit back bile so he wouldn't pound Yukihito's face in without meaning to. Breathe, one. Breathe, two. Breathe, three. Breathe four...

"Got it, huh?" Yashiro's voice was pleased and he continued on with his conjecturing, "So you thought you might look for another girl to make her jealous? Get her to come back and apologize for letting you go?" He tapped the table in a snappy rhythm until he noticed Ren still wasn't moving. "Ren? Are you alright?"

When Ren's vision cleared, he sat up. "Stomach," he said.

"Oh. So you weren't mad?" He waved a hand dismissively. "Liar."

Sometimes Ren wished he could find another detail oriented, industry knowledgeable, usually quiet, non smoking manager. One that knew how to stay out of his personal life, please!

Jealousy? No, he didn't even flatter himself that she'd care if he dated. She'd give him that cheerful smile and become best friends with the girl. He had no doubt that his love life didn't even rate on her scale of important items at all. Sho, that bastard. The poor girl was broken inside! No. After kissing Kyoko, he had no delusions of her ever loving him back and it was eating him alive. What he needed was a pliant female body, preferably one that was using him so he wouldn't have to feel so damned guilty about using her.

"When did the girl's agent want to discuss the details?" he asked, trying to steer the conversation away from the gaping wound in his chest.

"She suggested dinner tonight, actually."

"So soon?" That was a bad sign. Ren sighed. Better to get it all on paper, though. He'd never had a public relationship before, but he imagined you had to plan for the breakup from the beginning. Things like what to say at the press conference announcing they were a couple, then at the one ending the affair? He'd watched other actors as they repeated such tripe as "We really respect one another, but find we don't have as much in common as we'd thought" in front of rows of reporters, cameramen and lights. He shuddered.

"We don't have to do this," Yashiro said, correctly reading Ren's change in mood.

Still, here he was hours later, smiling a noncommittal smile as the underage girl- and why had Yukihito left that out?- babbled on and on about her most recent jobs. To hear her speak, you'd have thought there wasn't a harder working actress in Japan. She told him how she just barely managed to balance her schedule with her school work, but hoped they could have time for a meaningful relationship as well. Ren nudged the conversation towards ordering. He only had an hour for this meal then he was needed at a broadcast industry awards ceremony.

* * *

Kyoko wasn't feeling better per se, but she was feeling cheerful because her best friend had insisted on taking her out to dinner after work. Moko could always be counted on to take her side and it was exactly what she needed tonight. She didn't think Kyoko needed to apologize to Tsuruga at all and she thought that Sho Fuwa needed to be horse whipped. Kyoko wavered on both counts. On the first, she had imposed on her mentor and in such an awkward way! He'd been patient with her and so gentle, but she didn't deserve his tenderness. She'd obviously upset him with her silly request. If she didn't apologize, she'd never be able to face him and then what would she do? His friendship meant the world to her.

As for Sho... Oh! She got angry all over again! He'd once more earned his top spot on her kill list! Still, she couldn't share all of Moko's outrage over this incident since he seemed not to be himself at all and was clearly upset afterwards. If she knew him, he was alone in his room playing a blues song. There was never any "sorry" from him. You'd just hear his songs. That was his way, he was such a child! Moko was angry on her behalf and that was all that mattered.

"It's around here," Kanae said.

"Oh, this is where I tried to get scouted!"

"Really? You're lucky you didn't get taken in by some rinky dink agency or by some pervert!"

Kyoko hadn't thought of it as lucky at the time, but Moko was right. All of the experiences she'd had along the way helped to put her where she was right now. Not the top, of course, but less than a year after walking these streets? She'd had some good roles she could be proud of and more good ones to choose from.

Kanae waved her into a small cafe. It had an outdoor section, closed off for the winter, and a maitre de who greeted them at the door. "It's a hot spot for the up and coming of Japanese TV," Kanae whispered. Dimly lit, it relied mainly on candlelight for both ambiance and light. She counted five actors she could recognize and several pop stars sitting at central tables, clearly hoping to be seen by someone. Others walked about almost as much as the formally dressed wait staff, showing themselves off. As the two of them settled into a corner booth, Kyoko watched a black haired girl walk ostentatiously from the restroom hallway to a table in the back. A tall man rose politely for her. It was dark, but the girl looked like that annoying one from class, the other "angel" who had been trying so hard to please Sho during the filming of his PV and the man looked like...

Ren Tsuruga settled Mimori back in her chair and looked at his watch. Thank God. He could get going soon. He'd tried to use their clashing schedules as an excuse to back out of this whole deal, but she'd ignored his comments and went to "freshen up." From the looks of things he guessed that meant reapplying makeup and hoping to capture his heart with false eyelashes. He needed a change in tactic. Knowing how reticent people here were about public displays of affection, Ren took her hand in his, pulling her closer. She looked around somewhat nervously and smiled shyly.

If he looked at her just so, he could see a little of Kyoko in that smile. Holding onto that image in his mind, he moved in closer still. He knew his seductive side scared the hell out of Kyoko, but he saw her smile widening this time and she leaned halfway up to meet him. As their lips touched, there was only the briefest of hesitations before her mouth opened to greet him. Kyoko's small hands moved to his shoulders and pulled playfully on his hair. He forgot that they were in a public space and began to lose himself to his imagination. Ren had counted on her pulling away instead of melting bonelessly into his arms. There was a small voice in the back of his mind that everything about this was wrong, but he ignored it. A glass somewhere shattered, snapping him back to his senses. The hair in his hands was too long and too black to be hers. "Kyoko?" he said as he stood up, moving away from a swooning Mimori Nanokura.

"Kyoko!" shouted Kanae Kotonami. Her friend had uncharacteristically stood up from the table, dropping her glass on the tiled floor. The sound drew all conversation in the restaurant to a sudden stop.

"Ren," Yukihito Yashiro hailed as he walked up to the couple at the agreed upon time. He saw someone else standing across the room and in the unnatural silence he asked, "Miss Kyoko?"

"Ren?" the whisper fell from quivering lips as Kyoko Mogami turned, moving blindly away from her table, bumping into unknown bodies as she fled.

Yashiro watched Kyoko's friend Kotonami run after her and he saw the glass on the floor at the same time Ren seemed to. He was torn as to who to take care of, but he opted for the man whose mask had never fallen in public before tonight. He watched in horror as emotions played openly across the usually cold features. Ren's hand slowly moved to his mouth, wiping away the memory of the woman who was not Kyoko and then he crumpled. Yashiro moved to catch the larger man as tears began to fall.

O..0..O

Everybody with me so far? 'K. One more to go. Let me know how you really feel!


	3. Recorded Kisses

**Princess Kiss**

by J Luc Pitard

A Skip Beat! Manga fan fic.

(just to get back into writing again)

Disclaimer: Skip Beat! belongs to Nakamura Yoshiki and not myself. Please buy the manga, available from Viz and watch the upcoming anime, to be released in Japan/Taiwan in October 2008.

* * *

"You did right to bring him here," the man wearing an outrageous red tuxedo, tall riding boots and black top hat said to Yukihito Yashiro. "He can't go out dressed like that!" A leather riding crop whipped through the air and pointed at the man curled up on the plush couch.

Yashiro wasn't sure LME Pop Production's president Lory Takarada was clear on the important part, but he was happy not to be getting yelled at for interrupting... whatever it was the man had been doing. Bringing Ren to the president's office had been his first thought because he was immediately worried about how this scandal could be controlled. "His suit's still in the car," he said. "We took a taxi, so it's back at the--"

"Never mind, Yukihito," Lory said, practically pushing Yashiro out the double doors. "Why don't you get down to wardrobe and find him something nice. A dark suit perhaps, hm? With a dark shirt and light tie? I'm thinking maybe apricot. And a nice warm wool jacket as well. Have it sent up here. I'll have a car waiting for you out front."

He wanted to protest that it didn't matter what clothes they put him in, Ren Tsuruga couldn't go out in public in the emotional state he was in. Yashiro held his tongue because, truthfully, it was a relief to get away from his friend's pain. Outside the doors, he reminded himself to call the girl's agent. How much should they offer in hush money? Was one million yen too much or too little? He'd already started the spin around Ren's collapse as a stomach issue before they left the restaurant and destroyed the cell phones of the dining patrons nearest to the couple but he could imagine all the others that were probably streaming videos or pictures of his breakdown across the media. He could only ask to "borrow" so many phones before the taxi arrived and they left. Yashiro shook his head and walked down the columned hallway.

In the president's majestic office, Ren lay where Yashiro had put him, on his side, clutching his chest. Lory Takarada sat down next to him.

"Ren?" He heard, followed softly by, "Kuon?" Ren turned to look up at the man who had taken him away from America and let him make a new life in Japan. The face was still much like it had been five years ago, just a few worry lines he was sure he'd had a hand in causing. The costumes, he noted, had gotten more extravagant.

"I'm sorry," Ren said. There were no more tears left, only numbness. "Tell her I'm so sorry." He put his face into his hands.

Takarada stared at him for a minute. "Enough of this, Kuon. You're just lovesick. It happens to us all. Cry on your own time," he said in a gruff tone no one else at LME had probably ever heard. "And here I thought I was the only drama queen in the family." He leaned over him and with a shove, pushed him off the couch. Ren frowned and caught himself so that he sat down on the floor, looking up at Takarada, now leaning forward on the couch. He looked down his nose at him, saying, "Do you think love came easily to me? Don't you remember the stories of your father and mother, eh? Why should it be easy for you? Would you treasure it if it was easy?"

Ren glowered. "This isn't about me! Kyoko... she... " He couldn't bring himself say it.

"That girl," Takarada said, looking up at the ceiling and smiling. "I must say there's something about her, isn't there? She hasn't been here long, but POW!" He slammed his fist into his other hand. "What an impact! It's like watching my silly son's wife, Lina, all over again."

Ren ignored Lory. She might've started to care for me, he thought. He groaned and continued to beat himself up in his mind. But now? She'll hate me again. Getting back on her feet after him, and who hurts her? Me. How could I do that? "Why of all the times was she..." his voice trailed away. There were no answers to these questions that haunted him. That glass might as well have been her heart. "Poor, fragile thing." He thought of how she'd kept the gem he'd given her so many years ago. Would she clutch it again tonight?

"Look, kid," Takarada said as he stood up and smoothed an errant hair in his long mustache. "She's a hell of a lot tougher than you give her credit for. Now, you have a job to do, so go out there and do it." As if to reinforce his statement, a knock came on the door. "Ah, your clothes are here. Go show them what a consummate LME professional looks like, okay?" He leaned down to pull Ren up with a wrestler's hold under his arms.

Once on his feet, Ren found he did feel better, a little bit anyway. Well enough to fake it for tonight. He looked down at the "ringmaster" for so long that the other man began to shift his feet uncomfortably. Suddenly Ren grabbed him for a hug. "Thank you, "Uncle" Lory," he whispered and let the stunned president go. He walked out the door, ready for his performance.

"Idiot," Lory whispered, a smile on his face and unshed tears in his eyes.

* * *

Morning dawned over a quiet Darumaya restaurant. The boss and his wife were getting up to prepare breakfast and receive the deliveries for the day. "Let them sleep," the husband said as his wife looked up the stairs. They'd overheard some of what had happened whether they wanted to or not.

In her little room, Kyoko woke up fully as her alarm chirped at her. She'd gotten paranoid after oversleeping a little while ago. What took her a minute to figure out was why there was a body on the futon with her. She scratched her head as she lifted the corner of the blanket to find long black hairs tangled up with a perfectly manicured hand.

Ah! Now she remembered. Kanae Kotonami, her dear friend, Moko, didn't want to leave her alone, so they'd had an impromptu sleep over and ice cream binging night. After talking it out, Kyoko couldn't see why she'd gotten so upset at all. If it hadn't been that silly Mimori who was recently wagging her tail after Sho Fuwa, maybe she could've congratulated her mentor on getting his feelings across to his secret crush? As it was, she'd made a scene and they'd run out of the restaurant before even getting their food! She couldn't show her face at that restaurant ever again. Hopefully she hadn't ruined it for the other diners, too. Did he notice? She heaved a heavy sigh. There was still a weight on her chest, a squeezing. Maybe she was getting sick?

Moko groaned and rolled over, looking totally graceless and masculine. Kyoko smirked at the sight and considered taking a picture. She had a scene to shoot this morning for the series 'Box R' and was slipping into the character of Natsu as she pulled on her clothes. "You'd better get up if you want any food," she said.

"Mmmm, what?" Kanae lifted her head, her hair briefly giving off the impression of snakes rising to strike. "Why the hell are you so cheerful?"

"It's like you said last night, he's not my boyfriend or anything," Kyoko said in a matter of fact way. She loved Kanae's straight forward approach to love. Everything made perfect sense. Ren was a non-issue to her. It didn't matter at all. He was free to kiss whomever he wanted to. He could even want to kiss... her, his junior and sort of friend, again sometime? Maybe? She put her hand up to her lips. She couldn't do this. It felt almost as bad as it had last night when Moko had caught up to her by the bridge.

Kyoko had to stop when she finally hit the railing. She sank down to the pavement, feeling nothing. Despite her breath coming in huge frosty clouds, she didn't feel cold. Despite running non-stop from the restaurant, she didn't feel hot either, only numb.

"Come on, Kyoko! What is your malfunction?" she'd puffed. "It was only a glass." Kotonami had always considered Kyoko to be hanging onto sanity by a fingernail. Had she finally lost it? Maybe this was her chance to walk away from their friendship? There wasn't any real reason to stay with such a madwoman, she rationalized halfheartedly. She cast a glance over her shoulder, trying to figure out how far they'd run from their jackets and purses. These were not the shoes for this!

"I don't know," Kyoko looked up at her friend with the eyes of a lost lamb and Kotonami knew they'd stay friends a little longer. No one could walk away from such a pure hearted girl. She crouched down next to Kyoko.

Knowing what might cheer her up, she asked, "Couldn't you tell your best friend what upset you back there?"

Of course it was an hour later before the whole story was out and both girls were shivering so much they couldn't speak. When they got back to the cafe, the staff had set their things aside and Kotonami was told that their food was being kept warm and had even been paid for. A nice touch, but she'd told them to throw it away. Where did he get off giving charity to a girl whose heart he'd just broken? Stupid, smug Ren! She'd bought ice cream on the way back instead.

Now in the morning light, with a rumbling stomach and a tongue coated with fur, Kotonami regretted that decision, among many others. "Breakfast?" she asked. "What time is it? Shit! I've got an earlier call than you do!"

"Don't worry," Kyoko said. "I'll get you there on my bike. I guarantee you'll be on time!"

Kotonami wondered again, for the millionth time, why she was friends with Kyoko.

* * *

"Cut!" The director bounced onto the soundstage, his casual clothes in contrast to the military uniforms of the men surrounding Ren Tsuruga. "Okay love," he said. "You know BJ better than I do, but don't you think he's being just a teensy bit too controlled here? You know, wouldn't he put a little force behind that line? A little oomph! I mean, wouldn't you if they'd just barged in like that? Let's try that again."

Until 'Dark Moon,' Ren was known for never getting N.G.s during a filming. For this series, it was extremely unusual. He was off his game today. It was unacceptable to let his personal problems bleed into his acting, but here was the evidence. As they took the scene again, he started to sweat under his collar. What if he couldn't do it? What if he couldn't keep this facade going anymore? The walls he'd kept up for the past five years were crumbling. He could feel his emotions churning to get out. He roared his lines with all the anger he had at the world behind them.

The director looked shell shocked after the entire scene was over. "That..." he said. "Wow. That's a take. Um, let's just stop for lunch now, shall we?" Cast and crew practically charged off the set. Some whispered about him and the scandal that had graced the front pages of the tabloids as they went.

Only Yashiro was willing to approach the brooding actor. "Let's get out of here," he said. "I think a walk would do you some good and I found another cafeteria to try."

Fresh air did improve his mood. Ren found it much easier to wear his gentleman mask outside. They walked a good ways across the set before he noticed Yashiro's not too subtle attempt to look for someone. Oh God! He wasn't seriously--

"Ms. Kyoko!" Yashiro shouted as the girl walked out of a studio door. "What a surprise to see you here."

She stopped dead. They were far enough away that she could outrun them, but if she did that, she'd never be able to face either of them again. Stay calm, she told herself. She'd practiced this in the mirror- smile, congratulate and hope for a distant, but helpful working relationship with them. She muttered to herself that there was a chance they didn't even see her last night. It was dark and they were in the back while she'd been near the front. There was a chance, right? She pulled herself together and smiled.

"You are dead, Yashiro," Ren said softly, but with enough malice that his manager blanched and gulped as she turned and walked toward them smiling.

Last night when they had parted ways at Ren's car, Yashiro broached the topic he'd been avoiding all night. He really felt Ren should see Kyoko as soon as possible to explain before she heard anything from the media. It'd made Ren wish he still smoked.

"I finally got through to Nanokura's agent, but she said not only are they rejecting the money," he'd said. "They're playing this as you being so in love that you lost control of yourself."

Ren's shoulders had drooped. It was close to the truth, but how would this hurt the one he really did love? "There's no way I can face her."

There was no doubt which 'her' he'd meant. Yashiro knew that if it were left up to the stubborn couple, they'd never, ever talk about it and in the meantime, someone like Fuwa would snap her up. He'd seen the glint in the singing idol's eyes yesterday and they had history after all. How could Ren be so stupid! Sometimes love needed a little nudge, so this morning he'd asked Sawara for her schedule.

Her confident walk across the grassy lot was familiar enough to the man who had taught it to her, but her composure? Would she be "Natsu" or Kyoko? He was sure she would falter when she saw him, but if anything she seemed happier. Hadn't she seen the photos? Ren forced his polite smile as she greeted each of them.

"It's good to see you, too," Yashiro said. "You look well today." Should he dare to bring it up or wait until one of them did?

"Mr. Tsuruga," she said. "I'm sorry to see the way the press is treating you. It's not like it's any of their business is it? I'd like to offer my congratulations for your happiness." Kyoko put as much sincerity in her voice as she could. Her heart stayed safely behind bars. If she could keep up Natsu's behavior, all would be well.

Yashiro winced at the words and the way they pierced the stony actor.

"Don't let it worry you, Ms. Mogami," Ren said smiling his most radiant smile while covering the reopened wound in his chest casually with one hand. He couldn't be taken in by her act of friendliness. Even if she really had forgiven him, he could never forgive himself. "The public has short memories for this sort of thing," he lied He kept pressure over his heart for a count of twenty, hoping Yashiro could think of something to say in the meantime.

"Speaking of congratulations--" Yashiro started when a new voice rang out from the studio doorway.

"Kyoko! I've been looking for you. Why didn't you answer your phone?" Kanae Kotonami looked at the assembled group outside and redirected her anger. "What a coincidence," she said as she drew nearer. "To find you here, so soon after you--" she paused at the murderous look Kyoko suddenly aimed her way. The air outside seemed heavier. Dark clouds crowded out the cheerful sunshine and the temperature quickly dropped to more normal winter levels. "Sorry," Kanae muttered. "I meant, how nice to see you."

Ren was taken aback for a second, looking between Kyoko, as she settled down, and Kotonami, who looked like she'd swallowed dirt. Finally, Yashiro cleared his throat. "Um, well yes, we were just out for a walk. As I was saying, I heard that you might get a manager soon?"

Kanae turned on her friend. "You didn't tell me that! All night we talked and you forgot to mention something like that?"

Kyoko sprang into a flurry of hand waving. "Oh! Yes! I'd forgotten! Mr. Sawara said he'd ask, but I'm not sure..."

"Well you're not leaving me alone in that ridiculous "Love Me" section!"

"Oh! Maybe we can share a manager?"

"That is often done with new talent," Yashiro chimed in. "You both don't have enough work yet to require your own agents, so perhaps the company would be willing. I'll speak on your behalf."

"Yes! Just so Ms. Moko and I can stay together, that's all I want!"

Ren smiled gently, his guard falling as he felt love surge at her happiness. She was making it on her own merits. Giving her a manager was a major step. He knew they'd soon remove the interview restrictions and let her step out on the public stage for real. It would be better for her if she did so without his shadow looming over her, he realized with a familiar pang. If he hadn't already known he didn't deserve her, this news would've convinced him to keep his distance. "Well, we've taken enough of your time," he said in an even voice. "Both of you have a good day." He made to leave, but was skewered to the spot by Yukihito's next question.

"I was worried yesterday about the incident with Mr. Fuwa. Was everything alright?" Yashiro looked perfectly sincere. Who said acting was hard, he thought and bit the inside of his cheek to keep from smiling at the range of reactions he observed.

An immediate blush spread like wildfire through Kyoko's whole body. Her "Natsu" performance was lost as she stammered. "Ah, uh, I... it was... that is..."

Kotonami moved protectively toward Kyoko and even put her hand around the girl's shoulder.

Ren shifted on his feet, turning back to stare with wide eyes at Kyoko. "Oh?" he asked even as he tried to keep the words back. "And what did your old friend Sho want?" His eyes narrowed down to slits.

"The same thing you did," Kotonami spat at him. She could see what Kyoko couldn't when it came to Ren Tsuruga. That he was after her little Kyoko was obvious and damned if she would lose her only friend to a playboy like him! She tried to stare him down, but quickly found her confidence leaving. She eased her arm off of his prey.

Yashiro likewise felt his fight or flight instinct voting for the latter but opted for not moving at all to avoid drawing fire. The only time he'd felt anything similar was at the resort in Karuizawa when Ren learned of the stalker incident. This time he wasn't the target of that anger, but it was all he could do to keep from apologizing anyway.

Exerting extreme self control, Ren asked, "Ms. Mogami, what is your friend talking about?"

Kyoko wilted under his ire, but her demons rejoiced in it. They giggled and flitted about, excited at how cowed everyone was by him. "That, it... wasn't... Sho, he thought he was helping..." Kyoko mumbled. Defending Sho to Ren! Had she sunk this low? "Moko? I hope you don't mind, but I don't feel like eating lunch. I've got to go on to school." With her tail practically between her legs, she slunk away.

Ren watched her go. Rage burned through his body and even the sight of Kotonami and Yashiro cowering in front of him couldn't sate it. He turned to head back to his studio. At least today there would be stunt work and a fight scene to look forward to. The last time he'd been this angry, that 'Sho' had been involved then, too.

* * *

School was still a treat for Kyoko even though she hadn't made any friends in this class. The other kids were also in the entertainment industry and seemed to view her as competition. It didn't hurt as much to be snubbed by people like this though. Not the way it had when the kids who lived near her, who knew her, had judged her unworthy of the effort. Of course, it was Sho's fault then, but... maybe just a little bit of it was hers as well? She did follow him and worship him. Had she been as sickening as Miss Mimori? What if she'd tried harder to fit in?

She smacked her hand on her table, startling the few classmates that were actually seated and working on classwork instead of hanging around the computers or gossiping. That's it! I'll make more of an effort to be social in school until I have at least one real friend, just like I do at LME, she thought. Having so decided, Kyoko looked around the classroom another time. Were there any promising candidates? Several girls were passing a magazine around and criticizing the models. Right! They were out. She listened to the chatter of the kids near the computers.

"Have you heard? That thing with Mimori?" a boy she'd had a scene with in acting class asked a young dancer who was surfing fan sites on the internet.

"Are you serious?"

"I've got a link," a brown haired boy said, moving his chair from his desk over to the computer table.

"Why would a guy like him go for her?" the dancer asked. Nervous chuckles followed. Mimori was an E cup, after all.

Her stomach clenched, but she was standing behind them before she realized it. One of the boys turned and recognized her. "Ah, Miss Mogami! You're a friend of Nanokura, right?"

She wasn't, but she could imagine they'd think so since Mimori liked to come around her and gloat at their difference in experience, background and work levels. Was that form of bullying really so easily confused? "We've talked," she said reluctantly.

The boy started a video file and she realized immediately what it must be. A morbid curiosity kept her watching. The image was dark and distant with candlelight playing havoc with the cell phone camera, but it was unmistakably Ren Tsuruga making out with a black haired girl in a crowded restaurant.

She'd never given much thought to the mechanisms involved in kissing before Sho's attack yesterday. Living with Shotaro Fuwa and his family, she'd seen people be passionate when they thought no one at the inn was looking, or when wine kept them from caring. But what they were doing while their faces were pushed together never seemed important to Kyoko. She had always averted her eyes and scurried away. When they'd run off to the city together, she'd dreamed of her "prince" kissing her in the castle he would buy them once he'd made it. She'd already realized her dreams were woefully two dimensional, but now even the kiss seemed naive.

It wasn't easy to see in the grainy internet video, but there was little of the gentle kisses Tsuruga had given her. Of course, she realized. Here he was kissing his love, the high school girl he'd been holding himself back from. Her face paled. She'd forced him to kiss her, but here he was kissing someone he really wanted to. That was the difference!

The tinny sound of glass breaking was heard over the general hubbub and then the file stopped. While she usually stayed away from celebrity news, to avoid reading about Sho, she'd seen the papers that morning and knew that diners had sold pictures, videos and interviews as soon as they could to cash in on the first time the famously clean cut Tsuruga was in the gossip rags.

"Hey, you were in Dark Moon with him, right?" the guy she'd acted with said. "What do you make of this?"

As Kyoko opened her mouth to tell them that Tsuruga was and is, a gentleman, the brown haired boy asked, "Did you get to kiss him?" The whole class seemed to be listening in.

"Is he any good?" another girl came up and asked. She was one of the ones who had been gossiping about models earlier.

Kyoko opened her mouth, but no words came out. She had to defend him, but what could she say? Yes? No?

"I read on a forum that Mimori fainted and he cried!" the dancer said.

Murmurs of "Really? Whoa!" and similar exclamations were heard. Kyoko was feeling hemmed in by the groups of kids coming to stand near the computer table.

"Is that why she's absent?" someone to her left asked. Kyoko didn't know, but it didn't matter, since another student she didn't recognize jumped in, "Wasn't she dating that singer idol?"

"Yeah, then he got famous and dumped her." a girl behind her said, her voice sounding gleeful.

"I wish Ren would kiss me till I faint!" the brown haired boy squealed.

They'd drawn in the whole class by now, even the teacher, and Kyoko's face was beet red. Everyone wanted to have their say. Someone hit 'replay' on the video and she had to leave. She couldn't watch that again.

* * *

"...Let's see, tonight you've got a scheduled guest appearance for Fun Spot, mainly promotional, but they've called to warn us they'll have to ask about it. On Smap Smap, you'll be promoting the show while cooking again. We've added Totally Wild Rock, that's a relatively new show, but they have a young following and considering the scandal, I think it'll help to get you on there. They've been kind enough to have you on despite having another big act booked. Also, I've added a print interview with photo shoot in the morning tomorrow..." Yashiro sat in the passenger seat, continuing to provide detailed information that Ren Tsuruga let filter into some part of his brain that cared about such things.

He would remember each and every gig, but the main thing he was thinking about was how he'd scared Kyoko when things had been going about as well as could be expected. Maybe he was deliberately sabotaging things? He couldn't rule it out since confessing to her would put him into a very vulnerable situation. No one in Japan, except Lory Takarada, knew his secrets and he meant to keep it that way. Who could truly love a fraud like him? No, he needed to follow the plan and leave when it was time. Kuon could stay a character she'd portrayed, Corn could stay a fairy prince and Ren could stay a sometimes scary mentor. With that decided, he tuned back in to his manager as the man was saying, "So, I think, on balance, the coverage today has been fair, but we need you to stick with the plan we've discussed."

"Hn," Ren agreed as he turned the steering wheel sharply to get them into the parking garage. The shows all filmed at the same company, hence Yukihito's clever scheduling. Tomorrow would be more scattered and if all went well, next week they could leave Japan for a few days filming on Guam.

"I'm sure all this will have blown over by the time we get back," Yashiro said with a smile. "Just stick to the script, Ren."

This had certainly taught him not to play with the starlets who clamored for a short cut to fame. Her camp was pushing the lie that the two of them were in love and had been for some time. Nanokura was holding a press conference in the morning, so LME arranged for Ren to do some preventative work tonight. The entertainment news shows already had a video press release from him, but the variety shows had more loyal followings.

Yashiro looked at Ren with concern as he got out of the car. All day he'd taken more risks with filming than his manager liked to see. It was good for him to do as much as he could, his stunt double was his height, but much heavier. Still, he risked hurting himself in several scenes and Yashiro nearly quit breathing when Ren was thrown through a window by the main character. What if he damaged his money making face?! The actor looked calmer now, nearly back to normal. Why was the man coming unhinged at this point in his career? He'd always been so careful.

They made their way up to the first of the many appearances.

* * *

Kyoko was early for Bridge Rock's variety show. The guys were joking around after the producer had given them the rundown for the night. Now she knew what hell truly was. Hikaru Ishibashi, the leader of the rock band, teased her gently about the need to keep her feathers off the guests tonight.

"Um," she replied from her daze. "Yeah, sure, understood." Most women in Japan would have more of a problem with that, but Kyoko was never so grateful to be stuck in a chicken suit in her life! Two of the most desired men in Japan? They could keep them. She'd been fired for attacking Sho Fuwa live on air her first night, but after yesterday, she wanted to stay as far away from him as possible. As for Ren? There was an improv segment scheduled with him, but since he thought of Bo as a friend, she told herself it would be alright... as long as he never, ever found out her secret!

* * *

.0..o..0.

Please let me know if you forgive me friends! I know I said this was a three chapter story, but it looks like we need one more chapter to do it right. "The Show From Hell!"


	4. Healing Kisses

**Princess Kiss**

by J Luc Pitard

A Skip Beat! Manga fan fic.

Disclaimer: Skip Beat! belongs to Nakamura Yoshiki and not myself. Please buy the manga, available from Viz and watch the upcoming anime, to be released in Japan/Taiwan in October 2008.

Spoiler Disclaimer: I've read the manga scans online and incorporated details through chapter 128.

* * *

Lights dazzled, the audience roared and the show was officially underway. Bridge Rock's variety show 'Totally Wild Rock' had been a success ever since the live debut that Kyoko and Kotonami had been assigned to support. Kyoko ended up on their main cast as Bo, the show's mascot and while she appreciated the work, it was hard at times to accept that she was relegated to being a person in a large, round, yellow chicken costume.

She closed the stage door, effectively cutting off the sound of the band and their screaming fans. With the "squeak squeak" of oversized bird feet, she began the long walk. Shotaro Fuwa was still miles above her on the mountain of success. Kyoko hadn't even debuted, although there was a good buzz starting to circulate around her as an actor. It wasn't enough! Too soon she stopped at his dressing room door. The little star on the door and the name plaque that read Sho Fuwa mocked her.

Kyoko knocked, secretly hoping that he'd chosen to stay home and watch TV. Maybe he'd overslept? No such luck. A beautiful, big busted blonde opened the door. "Yes?" she asked. "Oh, how cute! Sho, you've got to come see this!"

Bo carried a white board on which "he" wrote things down, such as 'Please follow me,' or 'What the hell did that kiss mean?' or 'Die and go to Hell.' Okay, not the last two, but "he" really wanted to. She waited at the door while Shoko disappeared and the man she wasn't ready to see came smirking into view. Except he stopped smirking when he saw her. For a second, she recognized his guilty face, the one he didn't show very often. Why? One heart breaking second later, it was gone and he tossed his golden mane, letting it flutter back around his face into almost the exact position it had started in.

"So you have to come and get me? Isn't that an assistant's job?" his voice was layered with sarcasm and smarm. He seemed to be trying to peer beyond the painted eyes of the costume and Kyoko was glad she'd taken the precaution of installing snaps on the headpiece of the costume tonight. Let him wonder if it was her. He'd suspected last time; she would take no chances tonight!

His manager looked at him in confusion. Shoko knew she should give up trying to understand the young man. He really was a child in private, but his public persona was of a cool operator and it always shocked her when the the baby came out in front of a complete stranger.

Bo jumped and flapped his wings, flashing the sign once more before turning to walk them to the set.

"Wait!" Sho shouted. "You don't have to keep up that act around me!"

Kyoko froze briefly, but then Bo shook himself and turned, waving a chubby wing to them before walking backwards down the hall. She watched Shotaro fume for a second while Shoko touched his arm. Could he really know, she wondered. Tonight she'd been ready to throw out her need for revenge just to make it through the show without Ren learning her identity, but what about Shotaro? Inside the suit she sweated bullets. There wasn't a way to wipe her face without taking off her head, so she suffered in silence and led them to the door. She looked in the small window, then poked her beak in.

Sho looked at Bo as the chicken walked around the back stage. He was ninety-nine percent certain it was Kyoko. He'd asked the guys earlier if the same girl was playing the chicken as a year ago and they'd been happy to talk about Mogami. Especially the lead singer, which pissed Sho off to no end, but he'd tried to play it off. It's not like an idol would care about the girl mascot or anything. Not with a studio full of screaming fan girls available. He'd calmed himself with that thought so he wouldn't lose his cool in front of the hosts. Of course, Sho himself went for the more mature types. Well endowed and well placed to further his career? So much the better! Speaking of which... as Shoko was telling him she'd be in the control room for the taping, he reached over and pulled her into a loose hug. She nearly squeaked with surprise, but as always, her warm body was compliant.

"Mmm," she murmured in a sexy voice, winding her arms around his neck. "What's gotten into you?" She noticed him looking over her shoulder at the person in the chicken costume before he graced her with a passionate kiss. He wasn't usually affectionate and certainly not in front of others, but Shoko let him find whatever it was he needed in her.

He pulled back, his mouth not fulling leaving hers, but changing from a deep kiss to light nipping around her mouth. She began to breathe heavily at his teasing. "S-stop," she whispered, then became more insistent as he moved down her throat and began kissing along her neck. "Not here!"

"No," he answered and parted her hair to stare at Kyoko. The chicken seemed at first to react to his show, but then turned toward the door and wrote something on it's whiteboard. He maneuvered his kisses lower, keeping an eye on what Bo was up to.

Shoko knew Fuwa still had the school boy need to "mark" her with love bites and she'd rather not have the low cut sweater she was wearing reveal everything to the world as they left so she pushed him off when nothing else worked. "Honestly!" she said. Only then did she see the way her charge was staring at the large chicken's back. It held up its message board over its shoulder. A large heart and nothing else was drawn on it. That was rather sweet, considering, Shoko thought. She looked at Sho who seemed to regain his composure quickly. "We'll talk about this later," she said sharply before turning like a model on the catwalk and heading for the relative sanity of a television control room.

Shotaro and Kyoko were suddenly alone in the back; the whiteboard with the heart dangled from a feathered hand. She thought she'd recovered well, but it was a shock to see him sucking on the woman. Wasn't she at least thirty? Kyoko nearly shook with rage when she thought about the year he'd toyed with her while sleeping with his manager and- even worse- going to high school without telling her! No! She told herself. Don't let this ruffle your feathers. Keep to the plan.

A man came out to wave to them just as Sho Fuwa opened his mouth. "Did you like what you saw," he taunted in a low voice. Kyoko pushed down her anger. She bit back her immediate response. The audience was screaming even louder than normal. Once upon a time, she also would've screamed to be his.

Luckily the assistant director came up to them. "We've got a video going now from the first show when you two were doing that funny thing. So you guys head out there holding these," he said handing them badminton rackets and a white shuttlecock. "We'll dissolve the video to you. Just go with it. Have fun. Fuwa, that was hysterical last time!"

Bo hung "his" head briefly. Through the costume, Kyoko saw a glint of mischief in Sho's eyes as he looked at her.

"Ready for another go?" he asked.

Bring it, Bo wrote on the board.

At the cue, they ran on stage, rackets held high. The light was blinding and the noise incredible, even inside her padded costume. With cameras rolling, Sho aimed a shot at her headpiece.

* * *

From inside the control room, the producer was having a minor nervous breakdown. "Not again," he kept murmuring. The staff ignored him as they continued to change angles and ready shots. Finally, the chicken slammed a shot back at Fuwa that he couldn't return. "At least let the guest win," the unhappy man wailed. The staff obediently ordered the shot redone. Thank God the show wasn't live anymore, the producer thought. He apologized to Sho Fuwa's manager as the crowd went crazy once again at their entrance.

Shoko kept her eyes on the wall of monitors. What was Sho Fuwa thinking, she wondered for the millionth time in the past three days. Ever since Asami joined them for dinner the other night, he'd been by turns: needy, cold, depressed and manic. Yesterday he'd had her cancel a practice so he could sit alone in the studio plinking on his guitar. She'd played it off to everyone as a burst of writing creativity, but it felt more like a moody child sulking. Shoko stood with her arms crossed as she watched the second badminton match end in his favor. Bo had written the word 'howl' on his board and flashed it to the audience as they cut to the question and answer part of the show.

Kyoko thought she'd never get off stage! Shotaro had an interview segment now, then a performance to do. As much as it tore her up, a tiny part of her was proud of him for not giving up when he was challenged by a thrown together glam-band. After carefully taking off her costume's head, she wiped her brow. The first part of her job was done, but there was still Ren to deal with. She sighed and snapped herself together again.

* * *

Yukihito Yashiro stood in the secondary dressing room with a very tired Ren Tsuruga. He'd bought the actor a light dinner, but most of it went uneaten. If this went on, the stomach excuse from yesterday would become fully true. The previous two variety shows had gone well, from the manager's perspective, but they'd clearly worn Ren out. Smap Smap was a high energy show and though the main focus had been on his new show, there had been an undercurrent of curiosity to contend with. Ren sat in a folding chair with his head in his hands. It only took a knock at the door to bring the actor back to life. Ren stood up as if all was well. It was an act, but Yashiro was almost fooled and he imagined the audience would be.

Kyoko stood nervously outside the dressing room. She'd written, Welcome, my friend Tsuruga. Would he mind the familiarity? They had a skit to do together first thing, then there would be a question and answer part that she wasn't in once she delivered the questions. She wasn't needed at all after that until the very end of the show. If she could, she'd sneak out before anyone noticed. Normally she'd chat with the guys and turn down their offers of going out partying. Didn't they know her age?

Ren opened the door and a cheerful yellow beak greeted him. A smile came unbidden to his lips, more than relieved to see this odd friend of his. "Hello, Bo."

The person in the chicken costume was the ideal stranger for him. Their friendship formed fast and he was able to talk to the beaked mask easier than he could to anyone he really knew. Sometimes Kyoko came close but, when she wasn't hating him, she idolized him too much. He couldn't let her down by showing her his real self. Bo's face was painted on, but the unchanging eyes were often a comfort.

Yashiro watched the two at the door with a tilted head. Ren was usually reserved and whole runs of shows could end without one true friend having been made, yet Yashiro had seen that strange chicken costumed person draw genuine smiles out of the actor with just a few interactions. To protect his charge, he'd tried to find out who the person inside of it was. The staff were tight lipped and even at LME, which provided most of the personnel for Totally Wild Rock, he hadn't gotten anywhere. That made him even more curious, but he didn't dare hurt Ren's odd feathered friend.

Yashiro cleared his throat. "Ahem, well. I'll just go wait out the show with the staff." Staring at the mask, a surreal experience in itself, Yashiro walked as close as he could without bumping into the large stuffed costume. He sized up the man inside based off his own height. Whoever it was couldn't be that tall, he thought and the one time he'd heard its voice, it sounded young.

Ren and Bo both watched Yashiro go down the hall before turning back to each other. Ren invited her into the dressing room. Kyoko felt bold, based on his earlier smile. She altered her voice slightly, "I see you're in the news."

Ren looked ashamed, almost giving an 'aw shucks' reaction, but stopping himself. Not that he'd hide such a thing from Bo, but it wouldn't be understood culturally. "Yeah," he said softly. "I've ruined it with her."

Silence stretched between them. Kyoko was used to this. He seemed to need time to sort through his thoughts. She thought of the many questions she wanted answered. This was an ideal time to ask, since she couldn't as Kyoko. It had shocked her that Mimori was part of Ren's life at all. She hadn't seemed to know the actor back when they filmed the PV and that was only seven months ago or so. "How did you meet her?" she asked, finally breaking the silence.

Ren smiled distantly, not looking at her as he leaned into the dressing room counter. Kyoko took the chance to sit on a stool. It wasn't easy to get comfortable in normal chairs.

"I met her when I was about twelve." In his memory, the little girl smiled through her tears, amused by his antics. They met up almost everyday of his vacation. Their sadness drew them together- it was her secret place to cry and he found the same spot out of his own loneliness- but he loved to see her smile. For many years, her smile kept him going. He had never expected he'd meet her again. He never expected he'd fall in love with her either. Remembering his audience, he finally spoke again, "My father took us home to Japan on occasion. He's from Kyoto."

Her face hidden, she frowned. Had he misspoken? "Your father's home is in Kyoto?" He'd once teased her about her being from Kyoto herself and never said where he was from.

"No, part of his family's was," he said, shaking his head and pulling himself out of his memories at the same time. There were very few people who knew his secrets and he while he didn't want to say too much, he never bothered hiding behind lies with Bo. "We were just there for a few weeks."

"So," she ventured. "Now she knows how you feel for her?"

The air grew heavier suddenly. Ren looked away. Hundreds of chickens were reflected in the mirrors, all looking cheerfully expectant. "I couldn't. Even when I had the chance. And now..."

"Oh," Kyoko rushed on, the mood change was too much for her. "But good for you! You got to kiss her anyway. She didn't seem to hate it." She'd heard Mimori beg Sho for kisses and on the internet video with Ren she seemed quite enthusiastic.

Silence fell. Ren looked at the costumed face with a stunned, almost stricken look. Kyoko didn't know what she said wrong. It was almost the same thing she'd said this afternoon, more or less.

"How would you know?" he growled

"I saw you," she answered honestly. "I was there."

"What?" Ren's throat constricted and for the second time since he'd known this person, he wanted to tear the headpiece off and see who was inside. There was only himself and Kyoko. Unless... He relaxed. Bo must've meant last night.

Wings went up to protect her mask. She'd seen that look in his eye before! "At the restaurant?" her voice was rising, even above its normal range and she couldn't seem to stop it.

"Bo!" a production assistant shouted from somewhere in the hallway close by. "We need the two of you on. We're in the bumper now, but you guys are next." This was the time when they did any set changes and the first guest would leave. The PA's demeanor changed as he poked his head in the doorway. "Welcome, Mr. Tsuruga. We're happy to have you on the show. Sorry it was so sudden or we could've given you more time."

Kyoko turned to see Tsuruga's genial smile appear and the assistant bought the act without ever looking deeper. Why did no one ever notice? Even if they did see him in his full Demon Lord look, they seemed not to think it was anything but his acting. Why was he only mean to her?

For his part, Ren began to moved to follow the assistant and only looked back when the squeaking of Bo's chicken feet weren't immediately behind him.

"Shall we?" he asked.

Kyoko nodded her head quickly, then regretted it. The headpiece was too heavy. She took the moment to get herself back into being Bo. The rooster was the comic relief of the show and she had a strained pride in having created a mute, but forceful character, the mascot who was almost as popular as the hosts.

Together they walked through the sound stage door as a video showing the band on various wacky adventures with their fans was wrapping up. Yuusei and Shin'ichi were laughing over something on the monitor as the camera and mics went live. Hikaru had a difficult time talking over their laughter and the audience's reaction to their antics.

"I'm very pleased to announce our next guest. Kind of a surprise guest, but I suppose some surprises are what our fans are used to here. So, to keep things lively, please welcome Ren Tsuruga." He had to pause for the huge reaction. Most of the audience wore Sho Fuwa merchandise and held banners or placards with his name on them, but they needed no encouragement from the wranglers to scream and shout for Ren as well. He'd been an acting and modeling star for the past five years, so his fan base overlapped quite easily with a singing idol who'd debuted just a year before.

Bo led the way out with Ren following at his easy pace. For him, being under the lights didn't cause any reaction beyond the greeting he gave to both the clapping women in the audience in front of him and the four men on stage standing and reaching to shake his hand. As he inclined his head or shook their hands, he noted that one of them seemed openly hostile. Sho Fuwa had remained after his song had ended. Usually, the first guest would've gone back to his dressing room. Ren smiled at him. He hoped it would remind the young man in the glittery goth finery that openly challenging the gentleman, 'Ren Tsuruga,' wouldn't work.

Kyoko thought she'd die when Shotaro and Ren stared each other down. It didn't bode well. Neither did the deviation from the stated plan of the show This was Tsuruga's time, not Shotaro's! In the improv section, she and Ren would take audience suggestions, written down during the show, and create a little comedic scene out of them.

Hikaru, the fearless leader of Bridge Rock, announced the sketch time and Ren looked unflappable as Bo picked up the hat with scraps of paper flowing out the top. Instead of the plan, with Ren taking out the random skit ideas, Sho Fuwa stepped up.

"May I?"

Without waiting, he reached in, knocking squares out as he grabbed something from the bottom. He read the writing, then announced, "A love scene." Over the guffaws of the other guys on the stage with him and the shocked giggles of the women in the audience, he continued, "A husband arriving home after another long business trip to find his wife leaving him." Had anyone double checked the paper he crumpled in his hand, they'd find 'A farm scene in the morning with the farmer finding only the rooster- the chickens are missing' written there instead. He'd been thinking all evening about a way to embarrass them both.

Ren calmly turned to the chicken next to him. "Would you like to be the husband or the wife?"

The audience was beside themselves again with peals of laughter ringing out before their encouraging applause. Ren smiled. Bo flashed the audience "his" whiteboard on which was written- I'll be your wife. The audience murmured support.

Kyoko was again saved by the hugely overweight costume because no one had to see the deep red blush on her face. Most people thought the actor inside the rooster was male, since roosters are and it took a lot of stamina even to walk in it. Tsuruga had actually given her the choice! Someone brought out a large pink apron they'd used for Bo in a cooking segment a few months ago. She pushed all other thoughts out of her head as a few other props were brought out and they took their places on what was usually the band's stage.

Ren Tsuruga was a man trudging home after a long trip. It was a role he was certainly well acquainted with. He turned the imaginary handle of his door and set down his luggage only to be greeted by the sight of his beloved wife setting down her own set of luggage.

"I'm home," he said, slightly confused. His wife stared at him with her big chicken eyes. "Are we going out somewhere, a trip?"

No, Bo wrote. We're not going anywhere. I am.

"Oh?" He noted the stiff way his wife was holding herself. Her luggage was on the floor next to her, but she didn't move to pick it up again. Was there hope? He looked into her eyes, ignoring the nervous titters of the audience. He only had moments to convince her, to seduce her again. He had to keep her with him at all costs, even his pride could be trashed, as long as he could win her love again. He walked inside, closing the door behind him. Now he stood between her and a lifetime of loneliness. "Darling?" Ren reached for her hand.

Kyoko tried to pull her hand away from his. His grip wasn't tight, but the feel of his hand, even through the polyester costume fabric, was warm and she didn't want to lose it right away. As Bo, she was speechless so long as he held her writing hand.

"Is it the trips?" he asked, his voice catching with emotion.

Bo nodded. By now the audience was nearly silent. No matter how queer it looked for a grown man to be holding hands with a large rooster wearing a pink apron, no one could giggle through the lumps in their throats.

"I do it for you," he said. "All of it."

Bo nodded again. She needed her hand back to write something or Tsuruga would run away with this scene, yet she still couldn't do it. This was just a little skit, but the emotions he was showing and the emotions he seemed to be holding back were breaking her heart. For a moment she really was a frustrated housewife who'd made up her mind to leave her hardworking husband and now doubted the reason why. She turned her face from him, looking out over the captivated audience. They could see each character's face on large screens over the stage as well as the two of them together on stage. Kyoko noticed the hush, even from the people backstage. Ren had them all eating out of his hands and he was manipulating her as well! She pulled her hand back with a new determination.

I don't want it, she wrote, making sure the cameras and audience could see it. I'd rather be homeless. She put a wing over her face and enjoyed the laughter that came from some in the audience.

"But, don't you like our little nest?" He gestured at the air around them. "How can I take care of you if I don't do my job?" Ren felt his character's pain. He imagined that even in the distant future, when he had reached the height of his career in Japan, he could face a similar split from the woman he loved- if she ever loved him back. The force of the realization took his character to his knees. "Would you consider coming with me on my trips in the future?"

Yes, Bo wrote and Ren's character nearly wept with joy. His wife didn't want to leave him. She wanted more time with him! Some in the audience were bawling loudly. Bo wiped the board and held her arms out to Ren. He stood, stepping into them and hugging her carefully around her costume. He didn't press into the hug and stepped back quickly, after whispering a quick word of praise to her. Many in the audience were nodding their head and scattered applause seemed to be waking people from their daze.

Hearing the words made Kyoko stiffen slightly. She'd tried to change things up, to surprise him with her acting, but she'd played into his plan again. Kyoko wanted to yell at him, but settled for the stinger joke she'd just thought of instead. Bo wrote, Now please take my old luggage to the steps for charity pickup.

Ren and the audience seemed to read it at the same pace because the whole house busted out with laughter at the exact same moment. Bridge Rock came running out to slap backs and shake hands with an amused Ren just as the program went to commercial break.

Kyoko did a quick dance for the audience as Tsuruga was taken backstage for a touch up. Having to pass by the main set's couch when she was done, she tried to skirt everyone and head back. Sho stood and grabbed her arm.

"Why?" he hissed.

Why what, she wondered. The pressure on her arm was lessened by the padding in the wing, but she still felt it. She pulled her arm away and wrote, Because he's a friend of mine. That should cover anything and not give her away. She held her rooster head high and walked back off stage.

The last segment started out with a completely different feeling than the high note the previous skit had ended on. Hikaru tried to jolly up the conversation, but Sho Fuwa had once more refused to leave and since the audience was made up of many members of his fan club, he got to stay. "As usual for this part of the show, we have some questions for you from the audience," the host told Ren.

Shin'ichi took the basket of eggs from Bo and opened the first egg. "To be frank," he read. "You aren't usually in the tabloids, but now your name is associated with a young actress. What can you tell us?"

The atmosphere tensed up even more and Kyoko thanked her stars that she could leave the set without listening to the answer.

In the control room, Shoko was watching Yashiro as he stared at the monitors. Even the emotional producer was quiet as they waited to see how the actor would answer. A slight sheen of sweat on the manager's brow was the only sign of the stress he was under. Shoko shook her head during the evasive non-answer the actor gave. They'd been lucky that Mimori lost interest in Sho once it looked like his star was falling. Another idol came along at just the right time and she'd opted for him instead. Now the unapproachable Ren Tsuruga was her target? She and Sho had laughed about it earlier in the day, so why was Sho Fuwa jumping in on the discussion?

On the monitor they heard him say, "You can't just waltz in and take my place with her." His attitude was cool, but his voice strained.

The director called for reaction shots and confusion seemed unanimous until Hikaru jumped in.

"Ah, I remember that you were seen at an awards dinner with her as well, Mr. Sho. That was last Fall, right?"

Sho ignored the comment, saying, "You kissed her. So what? I know her better than you do." He sent a look of challenge to Ren as he spoke. The challenge didn't go unnoticed in the control room.

"No," Yashiro whispered. "Don't do it." He didn't understand Ren. Sometimes he thought he did, but then the young man would do something out of character and he'd be confused again. Of course, Kyoko was the root of his most recent deviations. Shit! He realized that both men weren't talking about Nanokura at all. He walked over to the show's producer as Ren was saying, "...longer. Still, you did throw her away."

"Can we reshoot this portion? Perhaps Fuwa can be asked again to leave," he said to the producer who shushed him and pointed to the monitor as Sho repeated.

"... You can't think to take my place."

"It's not your _place_ I want," Ren's cool exterior hid a seething anger. His smile was radiant! Girls in the front two rows of the audience began to faint.

"This is incredible!" the producer gushed.

Yashiro put his head in his hands. How could they contradict Nanokura's assertions tomorrow if this went out as it was! He felt a hand on his arm. Shoko, Fuwa's manager seemed just as upset as he was.

"I'll try to get him off the stage," she said and moved to talk to the producer. It wouldn't do either idol's public image any good to be seen bickering over a girl whose enhanced chest was her only redeeming feature.

Yashiro nodded, glued again to the monitor. It really was compelling television. He could see why the producer was enthralled. The director called for a new shot as Yuusei, the quieter of the three hosts, took control of the situation on the set.

"Yes, so it's like that," he said. "You're showing a new side on your show as well. And we have some footage of that don't we?"

The video rolled, showing Ren Tsuruga as BJ, the bad guy on a police drama. For months BJ was shown only in shadows, in this scene Ren's face was revealed for the first time in a stunning shot as he stepped out of darkness and looked down on the unconscious body of the hero. His face is in a close up, handsome and cruel, lit only by the lighter he uses for his cigarette. He takes a drag and sneers, walking over the detective before drawing out the villain's tagline, "That's enough out of you."

The director called for a shot of Yuusei as they came out of the clip. A quick survey of the cameras showed all of the hosts sported shocked looks, as did most of the audience, but Ren kept a smooth smile. He seemed grateful for the change of topic, if nothing else.

Hikaru was the first of the hosts to recover. "Wow. So cool! We have a toy gun here, could you do a pose for us?" He handed over the prop gun and cigarette. Even knowing the gun was fake, there was a certain amount of awe in the handling.

Ren took them easily, standing and pointing the toy directly at Sho Fuwa's forehead. The unlit smoke dangled dangerously from his lips. "That's enough out of you," he drawled.

The audience, apparently more aware of the new show than Fuwa was, broke out into applause. The singer broke out into sweat. A glint in Ren Tsuruga's eye was all that showed how deadly serious he was.

Shoko by now was yelling at the producer and Yashiro took this moment to slip out of the control room. He leaned against the wall, hanging his head. His emotions were stretched to the limit and he wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry at what he'd seen. Something white and yellow caught his eye and he looked up to see a large rooster putting its head on as it came out of a room labeled 'costume storage.' The squeaking of chicken feet heading away from him down the hall meant that the person inside the costume hadn't seen him. But he'd seen her. After Yashiro picked his jaw up off the floor, he started to form a plan.

The taping was taking forever, Kyoko thought. She watched from backstage as Ren answered polite questions. He looked as calm as ever, but the hosts were strangely jumpy. Apparently she'd missed Sho leaving, but that was no real loss in her book. For a bit there, she'd worried he would find a way to cause her problems tonight but he probably had his own image to worry about. Who cared about embarrassing a chicken mascot? Dammit! She had so far to go even to get up to his level. Revenge wasn't her only motivation anymore, but it was still there. She tried to push away thoughts of her childhood friend and watched the set again.

* * *

Colored lights beat down on the couch he was sitting on as Ren smiled his gentle smile. Responding to a question about Miss Mimori, he answered, "She is a very lovely young woman and I hope her career does well, but it was not as it looked."

"Isn't she your girlfriend?" Hikaru asked, blinking in surprise.

He shook his head, almost sadly. "I regret my misbehavior immensely, but she isn't the one."

"So there is one?" the host immediately asked.

For a second, Ren hesitated. Kyoko's heart leaped to her throat. Mimori wasn't it? Then what had she seen? What had everyone seen? She reminded herself that you couldn't trust celebrity answers, but he looked very sincere.

"There's no one, yet," he said enigmatically.

Kyoko put a feathered hand to her chest. Why was the tightness back? In the excitement tonight she'd almost forgotten how much her heart had ached today. She found she'd missed the next few questions by the time she looked back. They were almost to the end where she'd do a little run across the stage and try to take the spotlight from the hosts. It was a little bit of stage business they'd worked out early on and the producer liked her to do it. She opened the headpiece just a bit to wipe away the moisture on her face, then snapped it back and ran out.

* * *

Ren blinked, taking in his new surroundings. He wouldn't have thought Yukihito could push that hard, but after the taping he'd practically dragged Ren to a changing room and threw him inside. Since he hadn't expected such a thing, or perhaps due to his exhaustion, here he was. The door behind him wouldn't open, something or someone jammed the other side. He'd tried it first before turning around. The sound of running water came from behind a large curtained area. It was a dressing room but used mainly for storage, judging by the boxes and costumes piled around. Ren stepped around a hanging rack and saw the back of a man shaking the body of the Bo costume as he put it on a cart. Aha!

"It seems odd to be saying hello to you, after knowing you for this long," he said cheerfully.

The man turned. He was an older man and not as small as Ren would've imagined. The man pushed his spectacles up on a pug nose and asked, "Who are you?"

A wrinkle furrowed Ren's brow. The voice was completely wrong. "Sorry, aren't you Bo's actor?"

The man laughed loudly and pointed quickly at the curtain before saying, "Couldn't catch me dead in this! Do you fancy trying it on?" He thrust the sweaty headpiece at him.

Ren smiled and shook his head as the man chuckled and walked to the door with the cart, Bo's eyes looking ahead blindly. The door opened easily for him and Ren almost followed when he heard the shower stop. This was his chance to meet his friend, face to face. Would meeting ruin their strange relationship? He debated a second too long and the door slammed shut.

"Oh! Mr. Sawano, is that you?" a young voice called from the curtains. There was the sound of cloth rustling and again it called, "Mr. Sawano? Wait a sec, I'll be right out to help you."

Ren froze. He should run but, as if in a nightmare, he couldn't move. Kyoko stepped out wearing a track suit, with her wet hair pulled back by a headband and a towel around her shoulders. Time stopped. They stared at one another.

When he could trust his voice, Ren asked, "You?"

Kyoko blushed, her hands shaking. She looked around for Bo's head, as if it would protect her, but the costume was long gone. What would her mentor do to her?

"Umm, it's not as it looks?" she tried with a half smile. She was one step from prostrating herself and begging his forgiveness. Demons stood at the ready, but this was her fault. She'd deceived him.

"You," he repeated. How much had he unknowingly revealed to her? How many things had he said about her?! "Why?" he whispered. Why had she kept it hidden? Why had she pretended? The stress of the past few days rolled over him until something inside him snapped. What had she done wrong? She had kept his secrets and helped him without fail. He felt a sense of freedom, a sense of joy. Kyoko was Bo! Ren ran his hands through his hair and a smile crept across his face.

Oh Shit! He was smiling! Kyoko fell, hiding her head in a groveling bow and asking that he let her live. She felt a hand cover one of hers and looked up in shock as he knelt in front of her, an angelic smile on his face. Oh, it was that smile? She'd expected his evil smile, the one that came with its own satanic aura. His eyes were gentle and soft and looking... right into hers?

"Kyoko," he said.

As if a robot were assigned to do a child's jigsaw puzzle, she felt pieces being moved into place. Her mind whirred and clanked as it fit first the edge pieces, then the hard to find ones into middle of the mystery that was Ren Tsuruga. The high school girl? Click-whir. The willingness to be called at anytime of the day or night? Click-whir. Anger, no was that jealousy over Shotaro? Click-whir. The kisses? Click-bzzt. Her brain short circuited as his hands lifted her face closer to his.

"I'm sorry," she said softly, tearing her eyes from his. She felt like a rag doll. His warmth was so near, she couldn't keep the memory of his kisses out of her mind. Large hands tenderly traced the sides of her face.

Ren wasn't going to let this play itself out like last time. He'd spent the week since tearing himself up over pushing her, reminding himself again and again that he couldn't be with her no matter whether it was because of her age, her past trauma or any of the other perfectly legitimate issues. Like his 'Katsuki' in Dark Moon, he'd made very wrong choices as a result of repressing his feelings. There was no one he could ever look at like this, no one he could ever want like this, no one he could ever love like this.

"Don't be sorry," he whispered, his lips only inches from hers. "You're my best friend. I would never hurt you."

Tiny angels snuck out from the receding darkness. They could've stepped on the demons that writhed under the killing power of his sweet smile, but instead they scooped them up, quietly and tenderly carrying them back inside Kyoko's unlocked heart. "I am?"

Ren's hands lost themselves in her hair and he pulled her close, tucking her head against his chest. He cradled her body, pulling her into his lap. He was half hoping she could hear how his heart was pounding, how nervous he felt. "Kyoko," he called again softly. "I love you."

A foreign warmth was spreading through her body, but she didn't dare welcome it. The missing emotion? It couldn't be. Love was always one sided with her. Was this some kind of joke? Was this a punishment? Would he laugh and throw her away? She tried to pull back, but he held her tightly. Finally, she relaxed against him. This was Ren. She felt their hearts beating time together. Cautiously, she moved her arms around his broad chest, resting them on his back. She felt him release a shaky breath. They sat on the floor a while longer before she could look up at him. Was it all true?

Her wet hair rubbed his chin as she tilted her head back. All of his hopes were pinned on her chocolate brown eyes. He braced himself for an onslaught of the questions he saw there. When he heard her ask for his real name, his hopes plunged. He'd hoped to put that one off. There were many secrets, some she had clues to, some she didn't, but he'd hoped for more time to break this one to her. "Kuon Hizuri."

"Your father?" she asked.

Ren nodded. "Kuu Hizuri." He could've explained more, but she seemed to need time to absorb this. He braced himself for rejection. His father had made a large impact on her, even to the point of her calling him 'father' in public. She'd been used by his father and Takarada to get to him and he in turn used her to get his feelings across to his father. Her anger would be justified once she realized this.

She seemed to study him a while before the smile that he usually saw only in his dreams graced her lips. Kyoko reached a hand up to his face, tracing the contours of his features with soft fingertips. "I love you too, Kuon" she said. Effortlessly, she drew his face closer, surprising them both with her boldness. Ren's eyes were wide as she pull him into her kiss, as if it were he now waiting for some hidden joke.

The touch of her lips against his drove all worry from his mind. Tomorrow, he promised himself, he'd think about right and wrong tomorrow. Here and now she was warm against him. He responded to the searching sweetness of her kisses. His hands moved along her back, caressing her through the thick material. Closeness was the key to their pleasure and without rushing they explored each other's faces with fingers and lips. Butterfly kisses on her eyelids made Kyoko gasp. She never knew there were so many ways to experience bliss. He brushed a hand across her mouth and she kissed his fingertips then playfully nipped at them. She stopped at the strange groan he made, eyes half closed. Those eyes were familiar and slightly unnerving.

"Sorry," she mumbled, not quite willing to stop, but not sure how much more she could handle.

Ren watched her mouth hungrily as her teeth left his fingers. He moved nearer her ear and hummed lightly into it before asking her to open her mouth for him. He smiled as she overdid his request and was amused to note she didn't have many fillings. Ren loved how earnestly Kyoko did everything. With a finger, he lifted her chin up a little and sealed his mouth over hers. Slowly he brushed his tongue along her lips, first above, then below. She shuddered, but didn't close up or pull away. He noticed anxious breathing through her nose so he moved away, kissing her lightly to show her she could relax.

"I'm sorry," she said breathlessly. She pulled back. "I don't know..."

Ren gathered her in his arms again. Stroking a hand down her hair, he reassured her, "There's nothing to be sorry for. Nothing at all. Be patient. I'm your teacher, aren't I?" He smiled at her. "And we have lots of time."

Even the Emperor of the Night wasn't so scary anymore, Kyoko thought as she snuggled into his hold. There was plenty for each of them to learn.

.0.o.

The end.


End file.
